The EU is threatening to ban Theresa May from taking part in Brexit talks

LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May will be blocked from
negotiating Brexit with fellow European leaders once talks
officially get underway, senior figures from the European Union
warned on Wednesday.

May will not be invited to meetings of the heads of government of
other member states and will only be allowed to discuss the terms
of Brexit with Michel Barnier, European Commission’s chief
negotiator, the Times newspaper
reported.

This latest development is yet another blow to May's Brexit plan.

The prime minister has insisted during her general election
campaign that she'll talk to "prime ministers, presidents and
chancellors of Europe" in order to get the best exit deal for
Britain.

However, this does not appear to be part of the EU's thinking. A
spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that meetings
between Britain and the other 27 member states will not be a
feature of Brexit negotiations.

The spokesperson added: "No. The commission is the union
negotiator and Michel Barnier is the person who will negotiate on
behalf of the EU. We are very clear about that."

It comes as tension between UK government and Brussels continues
to grow, with the latter taking an increasingly hardline approach
to what it is willing to concede to Britain as it begins its
formal departure from the 28-nation bloc.

European press reported earlier this week that May's recent
dinner with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker did not
go as planned for the UK prime minister. Juncker allegedly told
May that Brexit "could not be a success" and added what she wants
to achieve in negotiations is in a different "galaxy" to what the
EU will allow.

May played down reports as "Brussels gossip" but said Juncker and
the rest of the EU will soon find out that she is a "bloody
difficult woman" to deal with.

Brexit Secretary David Davis told the BBC this morning that
Britain would not pay this divorce bill, saying it would only
hand over what is legally owed, "not just what the EU wants."

The BBC's Andrew Neil reports that figures in Brussels are trying
to get Davis sacked as Britain's Brexit Secretary.

In her Article 50 letter to the EU, May said she wants to form a
"new deep and special partnership" with the EU and the strength
of this partnership will be put to the test when negotiations
officially get underway in a few weeks' time.